What does the soul consist of? How does it govern the human body, and where it is located? These questions will be explored by the exhibition “The Soul Is an Octopus: Ancient Ideas of Life and the Body.” It presents key conceptions of body and soul that were developed by physicians and philosophers between 500 BC and 500 AD and connects them to our ideas today.

While the exhibition focuses mainly on the widely received and discussed views of Aristotle and Galen, it also presents less well-known perspectives, such as the Stoics’ view that the soul spreads through the body like the tentacles of an octopus. Besides precious medical instruments, ancient votive body parts, and luxuriously painted Attic drinking bowls, the exhibition also features large-format graphics that translate its contents into contemporary visual language. The resulting insights into the ancients’ understanding of the soul and the body not only help us recognize the roots of some of our medical views today, but also invite us to empathize with and enjoy alternative perspectives.